


Underneath Evergreens

by kackington



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26806654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kackington/pseuds/kackington
Summary: This is a little thing I wrote back in fricking 2013 about my original characters Ellie (a werewolf) and Fran (a caribou centaur) meeting for the first time as children. I'm currently working on a little animatic about the two of them, so while I was looking for references of the two of them I dug this up and decided to share. I wrote this when I was 19 so, yes, it's very purple prose-y hahaha.
Kudos: 3





	Underneath Evergreens

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little thing I wrote back in fricking 2013 about my original characters Ellie (a werewolf) and Fran (a caribou centaur) meeting for the first time as children. I'm currently working on a little animatic about the two of them, so while I was looking for references of the two of them I dug this up and decided to share. I wrote this when I was 19 so, yes, it's very purple prose-y hahaha.

She was cautious, but she had made her way to the river, just as her mother instructed. It was sunny out, but the ancient trees overhead shaded the flecked patches of moss that hugged the dirt far beneath their leaves and needles. She pivoted her torso, checking for any dangers in the general vicinity, and continued out towards the river bed. Her hooves made small indents in the muddy clay that lined the river's edge as she leaned forward, an old wooden pail clasped tightly in her small hands. She had been proud of herself that morning, voluntarily going off on her own, knowingly separating herself from the other youngsters and their daily grind. She hadn't been interested in playing with them, they didn't understand the way she saw things.  
  
Although timid at first, she had since warmed up to the idea of fetching water after realizing that she would be on her own. The forest gave her a lot of insight. The sounds and smells and sights engaged her in a way that no other young caribou could. The wisdom and knowledge she had acquired from her mother had come to fruition the more time she spent out on her own. She waited a moment, lost in thought, as she allowed water to flood into the pail. A breeze rustled her hair and the trees, filling the air empty of songbirds. She hadn't been paying attention these last few minutes, glowing in pride of making it all the way out to the river on her own. She would have taken the quiet atmosphere into account otherwise.  
  
On the other side of the river, hiding low under the brush, crouched another youngster, not even a year her senior. Bright eyes peered out at the caribou girl, her long hoofed legs standing somewhat awkwardly underneath her. Her long sandy blonde hair hid her big gray eyes, glazed over in thought and aimed down deep into the shallow water. She was fragile looking, but the young girl watching across the way could only see a potential friend in her. She smiled a sharp, toothy grin. The caribou snapped out of her trance, glancing up at the sound of crunching branches.  
  
She held her breath, retracting the full pail from the river and moved a hoof back just as a small, furry creature burst from the bushes across the river. She let loose a mighty roar, announcing her presence the only way she knew how. The caribou inhaled that held breath sharply, moving back further as she watched the little terror make her way across the river. Long, furry arms and legs with big paws and claws flailed wildly from her little frame, big rounded ears sat atop her head came splashing through the river, scaring away the minnows and crabs resting under the water.  
  
"Hi!" She called, halting at the river's edge.  
  
A tail, the same deep brown color as her hair, wagged excitedly behind her. The caribou, arms held up defensively with pail in hand, blinked questioningly at the wolf, now stopped at where she stood moments ago.  
  
"What? Don't you know how to talk?" The wolf girl asked, shaking off the beads of water from her hair.  
  
The caribou girl's expression became disgruntled.  
  
"Of course I know how to speak." Her voice was soft, but her tone was obviously annoyed.  
  
"Well then why didn't you say hi back?"  
  
"I'm just a little shocked, that's all."  
  
There was a skip in the conversation.  
  
The wild little wolf was silenced by her confusion, the caribou quiet by her nature. She held her stance, posture still defensive.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why?" The caribou repeated.  
  
"Yeah, why are you shocked?"  
  
"It's not everyday that you see a wolf trying to talk to a caribou."  
  
The wolf girl blinked, tilting her head slightly, allowing another beat of quiet between them.  
  
The caribou girl could feel the wolf's confusion growing on her. The wolf girl looked herself over, glancing down at her paws and swiveling to stare at her tail. She looked back up at the caribou, comparing the girl's features to her own.  
  
"Oh," she muttered, "yeah. Oh, yeah! I'm a wolf and you're a caribou!" The girl announced, smiling over at the other girl, "I'm Ellie Stark," she continued, moving out of the riverbed and over to the girl, paw extended, "what's your name?"  
  
The caribou girl continued to go in reverse with each step the wolf took towards her. She glanced at her paw, then back at her face.  
  
"I'm not telling you my name, why would I?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I don't have to tell you about myself if I don't want to."  
  
"Well it's kind of rude not introducing yourself after I've told you my name," Ellie kept her hand out, a friendly gesture that was known universally, even despite their different cultures.  
  
The caribou glanced at Ellie's hand, then to her face, then back again. There wasn't any ferocity in those golden eyes, only a wonder that she couldn't comprehend at the time.  
  
"Frances. My name is Frances Acker." The caribou stated, placing her hand into Ellie's and giving it a firm shake.  
  
"Franny!" Ellie exclaimed, suddenly shaking her hand faster than the caribou originally intended.  
  
"No," she hissed, retracting her hand, "it's Frances."  
  
Ellie's smile was whipped away with Frances's hand, genuinely confused with her anger.  
  
"Hm... how about Fran?" Ellie suggested, her head tilted slightly with a twitch of her ears.


End file.
